Captive Fox
Chapter 10

by Bluebonnet





Disclaimer: Yeah right, like I could create characters like these?

Rating: NC-17, baby!

Keywords: Sex and discipline--need I say more?

Summary: In a world where women rule and men are chattel, Fox Mulder Scully is his wife's most prized possession...

Notes: Most awesome thanks to my wonderful beta reader, Carolyn, who asks the hard questions, catches the little discrepancies, and makes me be better than I am. She's the one with all the good ideas.



"Indeed it does," Lady Amanda agreed. "Would you have me believe you knew nothing of this?"

Walter shook his head, his eyes stunned behind his gold-rimmed spectacles. "No--I--how can this be?" he asked helplessly.

Lady Rutherford tittered in mock sympathy. "Well, my dear, it's really quite plain. Lady Sharon never could resist a good wager, even when she was short on funds. I'd already won a priceless family heirloom from her that night, but she refused to give in. All her cash was gone, and I never wager on credit. You were the only thing of value she had left to gamble."

"But I--I--" The idea was so horrible that Walter was unable to formulate a coherent sentence.

"I wanted to take you immediately, but she insisted that a marriage dissolution would ruin your good name. I had to admit she was correct, so being the kind and generous woman I am, I agreed to this solution. That upon Lady Sharon's death, if you and I were still alive, you would belong to me, along with your entire dowry."

Walter said nothing, still in shock at this new nightmare of his late wife's uncaring depravity.

"You should be grateful, my dear. I only delayed collecting my winnings because I wanted to protect your reputation. Truly, when I rode off with this paper that evening, I thought never to collect my winnings. I was terribly saddened to hear of Lady Sharon's untimely demise, and yet, how fortunate for me that I am able to enjoy you while you are still young and beautiful. I should have been terribly disappointed to have inherited the responsibility of a weak old man."

"Hello," came a soft voice at the door, and Walter turned to see Fox smiling politely at their guest. He had been summoned from his chamber by Roberta, who considered it her responsibility to listen in on conversations between the men of the household and uninvited female guests. Her frantic pleading that "Lord Walter is in terrible trouble, ye must *hurry* my lord!" had sped him on his way, in spite of an uncertain stomach. He'd received a brief explanation of the situation as they quickly made their way downstairs, and now Fox held out his hand to Lady Amanda, outwardly charming while inwardly quaking.

"And who might this tasty morsel be?" inquired Lady Amanda saucily, rising to take his hand and bring it to her lips in a delicate caress.

"I am Lord Scully the Younger, Lady Dana's husband," Fox replied, hiding his revulsion at the woman's touch. "My wife is absent, but should be returning shortly, along with Lady Maggie. Please allow me to offer you the hospitality of Scully Manor."

Precisely on cue, Sarah entered the room with a tray laden with tea and scones, setting it down before Fox with a flourish. She backed out of the room, her eyes wide as saucers, for news of Lady Amanda's supposed claim on Lord Scully the Elder had spread through the servants like wildfire.

"Thank you, Sarah," said Fox formally. "Prepare the Green Chamber for our guest and see to her servants. I'm sure you must be quite fatigued," he smiled, turning back to Lady Amanda.

"I have traveled some distance," she confessed with a self-satisfied smirk.

"And I understand you bring troubling news. May I?" He held out his hand, and Amanda gave him the scroll.

"How very interesting. You read, I presume, as does Walter?" she asked, her patronizing tone setting his teeth on edge, but he merely nodded.

"Oh yes, my lady, my mother felt it quite necessary for me to be educated, as it was expected that I would one day manage a large estate such as this." He stopped talking then, reading over the words on the parchment carefully.

Fox had hoped to find a loophole that would free Walter from this woman's absurd claim, but the contract was plainly written, and signed by both parties. Lady Sharon Skinner had lost a round of cards to Lady Amanda Rutherford, the wager being marriage to Lord Walter Skinner, Lady Amanda to take possession of Lord Walter and his dowry upon Lady Sharon's death. Fox noted grimly that at least Lady Sharon had stipulated that Lady Amanda was to marry Walter, thus preventing him being shamed before the entire world as a mere concubine.

"This is beyond my simple understanding, I fear," he observed, playing the brainless-husband role, as she appeared to expect. He handed her back the scroll. "Perhaps you would care to rest from your journey after you have had your tea. Lady Maggie and Lady Dana should be arriving home before supper, and then you may discuss this matter with Walter's wife."

"Indeed, Lord Fox, you seem quite sensible, for a man. I believe I shall do exactly that."

Fox poured a cup of tea for the lady, and she made small talk with him while she consumed two of Natalie's tasty scones, then took her leave to freshen up in her chamber. Walter said nothing, still being too stunned to make conversation, but merely sat quietly, occasionally wringing his hands in consternation.

Fox placed a friendly hand on Walter's shoulder as he rang for Sarah to clear away the tea things. Neither he nor Walter had felt like taking tea, although Fox had made a pretense of it for propriety's sake.

"I don't--I can't believe she would do this..." Walter muttered after Sarah had left the room.

"Don't worry, Walter. Maggie will think of something." He squared his shoulders. "And if she can't...I will."

Walter shook his head, still lost, and buried his face in his hands. "This is why Sharon made no provision for me in her will," he murmured from behind his fingers. "But Lady Rutherford, I can not bear the thought of her. . . Oh sweet Goddess, Fox, what am I to do?"

"For now, you must try to remain calm." Fox heard a noise outside and listened carefully for a moment before smiling broadly in relief. "I do believe our ladies have returned."

Both men bolted from the room, racing for the carriage drive, and greeted the women eagerly as they alighted from the carriage.

"My lady!" Fox exclaimed as Dana wrapped him in her arms. "I have missed you so!"

"I longed for you every night," she whispered wickedly into his ear, enjoying the way his beautiful face turned crimson.

"Why Walter, whatever is the matter?" Maggie asked, examining her husband's pale face critically. "Are you ailing?"

"No, my lady, I--Lady Rutherford--" Walter could speak no further, so Fox quickly explained the situation to the women.

"I had her taken to the Green Chamber," he concluded. "I did not know what else to do."

"You were quite right to delay the issue until I returned, Fox," Maggie praised. "I shall see this person and her parchment for myself at supper, and then we shall decide what to do." She put a comforting hand on Walter's cheek, kissing him lightly on the lips. "Do not worry, my sweet Bear. No one shall take you from me." When he still appeared troubled, she grasped his chin firmly and said with more forcefulness, "You will endeavor to trust me in this matter, Walter."

"Yes, my lady," he answered obediently, following her into the house with a heavy heart.

"I wish to freshen up before greeting our guest, Mother," Dana said determinedly, leading Fox by the arm up the stairs and toward their wing of the mansion.

Maggie smiled knowingly and took Walter by the hand. "As do I, my daughter," she answered, giving him a meaningful glance.

He licked his lips nervously as they passed through the door to the West Wing. As much as he adored his lady, the events of the afternoon had driven all thoughts of desire from his mind. "Maggie, I..."

She nodded. "I understand, Walter, how upset you are, but you will rest beside me and we shall talk. I have missed your company."

Talking was the last thing Dana had on her mind, and their chamber door had barely closed behind them when she turned to Fox and ripped his shirt forcefully from his body.

"But my lady, Walter is extremely worried..." he gasped, partly scandalized and partly inflamed by her behavior. His breeches soon followed, landing in tatters on the floor beside his useless shirt, and before he could say another word she had launched herself at him, pushing him backwards onto the bed and straddling him.

"Later, Fox," she responded somewhat breathlessly. "Mother will handle the situation. Right now, I would handle you."

Her mouth took his hungrily, and he could feel the wetness of her through her trousers as she pressed against him. He stroked her womanly area with his fingers, enjoying the scent of her desire, then gasped when she took him in her hand. He had already been aroused by her kiss, indeed, by her very presence, but her soft touch was almost more than he could bear after four days alone.

"Dana--I--" he stammered, and she tugged at her trousers hastily.

"Don't you dare, not without me," she commanded, and he held onto his seed with only a hair's-breadth of control.

"Please, my lady, I cannot wait much longer!" he whispered, and then moaned in pleasure as she sheathed herself on his rod.

Satisfaction was not long in arriving for either of them, and he groaned into her mouth as he spilled his seed inside her body, enjoying that animal growl she made seconds later that meant she had found her womanly pleasure. She collapsed atop him, exhausted, and they lay there, embracing one another for long moments before she climbed off him and rang for bath water.

"I am grimy from my journey," she observed, her nose wrinkling in distaste as she glanced down at herself.

"I did not mind, my lady," he said shyly, covering himself with the sheets when the servants rapped upon the door.

They sated themselves again, this time in a more leisurely manner while in the bathing tub, and by the time they rose from the water, it had grown quite cold.

"Now, tell me of this situation with Walter," she said as she donned her evening wear, and Fox related all he knew of Lady Amanda and her shameful claim.

"It appears genuine, Dana," he said soberly, smoothing his tunic down over his breeches. "I had hoped to find a flaw in the agreement, but upon reading it I could detect nothing out of order."

"Mother will never let Walter go," she said as they prepared to leave their chamber, and Fox had to agree. However, he wondered, what choice would Lady Maggie have if the matter went before a Judge?



The polite conversation at supper that evening was a thin mask over the barely restrained tension and hostility. At last, Lady Rutherford could tolerate it no longer.

"Loathe as I am to bring up this unpleasant topic, Lady Maggie, it must be discussed. An agreement must be reached on this matter."

"I agree that we must, Lady Amanda, but I cannot and will not allow you to take Walter. We are legally wedded, by consent of the Queen. You were unavailable to object to our marriage, and cannot do so after the fact."

"And yet, were we to go before a Judge, are you absolutely certain Her Ladyship would not find my prior claim on Walter to take precedence over yours?" Amanda asked silkily, sipping at her wine. "Your marriage could simply be annulled by the court. Of course, the resulting gossip would fascinate polite society for quite some time. Rather embarrassing for the very proper Scully matriarch, to have married a man who was already spoken for."

Walter, who had been shoving the food around on his plate during the entire meal, made a strangled noise at her words, and Maggie put a comforting hand over his. Her mouth tightened when she noted the trembling in his fingers.

"It matters not to me what a Judge would declare, or the tongue-wagging of idle gossips," Maggie said firmly. "Walter belongs to me, and I will not give him up."

Amanda stared around the table thoughtfully for a few minutes, while the Scully family remained silent. "Well then," she said at last, setting down her goblet with a small 'thump'. "It would appear we have only one option available to us."

"So it would seem," Maggie agreed evenly as Walter's head shot up, his face full of fear.

Fox glanced from one woman to the other, confused, but Dana's warning squeeze to his hand told him not to ask questions.

"Dawn?" Lady Amanda asked, rising from her chair regally.

"Dawn."

"Pistols or swords?"

Lady Maggie inclined her head slightly, for she was equally proficient with both weapons. "Your choice," she said with a humorless smile.

"Pistols."

"Pistols at dawn, then. Have you a second? My daughter will naturally act in my stead, should it be necessary."

Dana nodded agreement.

"I have a very talented servant who will take my place, should I be unable to duel. I have trained her myself."

Duel! Fox stared at Dana, open-mouthed, and she gave him a warning glance that forbade him to speak. With effort, he swallowed his questions, observing Walter's pasty white face with concern. The older man appeared about to faint.

"Perhaps I should take Walter upstairs to rest, Lady Maggie?" he offered. "Such conversation is extremely upsetting to gentlemen."

Maggie nodded. "I believe you should, Fox, thank you."

Walter allowed himself to be led from the room, and spoke not a word as Fox guided him to his chamber and settled him upon the large bed. The younger man placed a candle on the bedside table and took a seat in a nearby chair.

"Fox, you must help me!" Walter pleaded hoarsely, his eyes desperate in the candle's glow. "It would be bad enough to belong to Lady Amanda, to never see Maggie again, but if Maggie should be killed or injured...I could not endure it!"

He buried his face in shaking hands, and Fox bit his lip thoughtfully. A plan was beginning to formulate in his mind. It was risky, but then, could it be more risky than freeing Isaac had been? And surely this was almost as important--Walter's life would be ruined, should Lady Amanda emerge the victor, and Lady Maggie might well be dead. At last he sat forward decisively.

"I have an idea, Walter, but I'm afraid it's rather dangerous for both of us. If the ladies come upstairs early, you must think of a story to explain my absence."

"Where are you going?"

"To the tavern." He ignored Walter's shocked gasp. "There is no other choice, if we wish to prevent this duel. However, should I be discovered, both of us will probably spend the rest of our lives in the dungeon--if you are able to remain with Lady Maggie at all."

The sober way the words were spoken shook Walter to his core. "We are Scully men," he answered staunchly. "We will not be fail. Go, take care, and return with haste, Fox."

Fox nodded and slipped out the window, carefully making his way down the large oak tree that grew just outside. Once, on his journey down, he almost lost his grip, but wrapping his arms firmly around the branches and praying to the Goddess for Her assistance, he was able to make it safely to the ground.

He wanted to take Samantha, but knew if he tried to remove her from the stables the servants would inform Dana of his defection. Instead he sped quietly through the forest on foot, grateful that Dana insisted he wear dark clothing, mindful not to twist his ankle in the damnable boots. Within thirty minutes he stood outside the back door of the Azure Tavern.

Raucous laughter came from within, and an occasional male cry of outraged laughter would emanate from the windows, but Fox had no time for propriety. Steeling himself, he slipped through the door, dodging past the serving men, shielding his eyes from their state of undress--for indeed, they wore very short, tight breeches and no shirts at all!--and made for the bar.

Sure enough, Richard was there, serving ale to the lusty women who had come to relieve the stress of jobs and families with drink and gaming. Fox watched as Richard expertly dodged several hands that reached for him as he made his way down the bar.

"Psst! Richard!" he hissed, blushing wildly when one of the women spotted him.

"Jeanne, is it a new serving boy you have?" she demanded, her eyes sliding up and down his shapely form. "Why is he so overdressed?"

Richard immediately pushed him back into the rear regions of the tavern, demanding, "Lord Fox! What on earth are ye doing here? Blessed hell, your lady will have your head and mine as well!"

"Richard, I need your help. Believe me, I would not have come had the situation not been desperate."

"There'd be one for the tables!" commented a female croupier as she passed Fox, caressing his soft bottom intimately.

He jerked away from her, staring in confusion, for her comment had made no sense to him at all.

"One for the tables?" he inquired of Richard, but Richard just shook his head angrily.

"Tell me why a man of your station has crept from the safety of your home and come to a place such as this alone at night, Lord Fox," Richard demanded, so Fox explained the situation to him hastily, for the speculative eyes of the croupier who had molested him still rested upon him thoughtfully.

"I know this Lady Rutherford of which ye speak--she has gamed here before, and she be a terrible hard woman. Aye, 'tis a horrible event for the Scullys, but how can I help you, lad?" Richard asked.

"I need one of the tricks of which you hinted, Richard," Fox explained. "Lady Amanda adores wagering. Perhaps if I can entice her to gamble ownership of Walter on a roll of the dice, this duel need not take place."

Richard's face lit up with understanding. "Ah, so it's cheating that's on your mind!" he exclaimed in a whisper. "You've come to the right place, my boy."

He opened a nearby cupboard and withdrew a small box containing a shiny set of dice. Four polished cubes met Fox's eager eyes.

"These are for her," he instructed, placing one pair in Lord Scully's left hand. "And these," he continued, dropping the other pair in Fox's right hand, "are for you to use. You must be very careful when you switch them. Should you be discovered cheating, I canna imagine what will happen to ye. Choose ten as the number to match."

"But what if she insists upon another number?" Fox asked, confused.

"You make sure you choose ten!" Richard ordered. "Unless you want to see your friend taken away by that woman tomorrow morning."

Fox nodded, thanked Richard quickly, and slipped out the way he had come, breathing prayers all the way home that he would not be discovered. He climbed the tree, entering the manor the same way he had left, and found Walter still lying abed, his hands clenched tightly together in fear.

"I was afraid you had been captured," he hissed when he saw Fox. "What took you so long?"

"I was as quick as I could be," Fox answered. "And I was successful. Tonight at midnight, after all the ladies are abed, we will knock on Lady Amanda's door and challenge her to a throw of the dice for you."

"Will it work?" Walter asked, staring in awe at the four small cubes Fox held.

"It must," his friend replied grimly.



"How is Walter?" Dana asked, entering their chamber some time later. She and Maggie had done their best to make civil conversation with Lady Amanda after supper, but it had been difficult, with the knowledge of what dawn would bring hanging over them all. At last Lady Amanda had excused herself, pleading a long journey, and Dana and Maggie had breathed a sigh of relief once she was gone. They had sat together in the salon for a long while after that, attempting to design a plan superior to the duel, but were unable to come up with even a single idea. At last, they had departed for their chambers, unwillingly determined to prepare for morning.

"I left him sleeping," Fox lied, sitting up in the bed when she approached. "He was understandably distraught."

"You needn't worry about Walter, Fox," Dana said, sitting next to him and tracing her finger up his bare chest. "Mother will not allow him to be lost."

"Have--have you come up with a plan to save him?" he asked, his breath catching at her touch. In spite of his concern for Walter, he wanted his wife, wanted her badly.

Dana shook her head as her lips followed her finger. "It shall be pistols at dawn," she whispered. "Let us not speak of it further. Walter will remain with Mother."

"Yes, my lady," he murmured into her mouth as she claimed his lips. Moments later he felt the familiar tug on his wrist as she fastened her scarf around it, and before long he was bound tightly to the four corners of the bed.

Dana was pleased to see that Fox had slipped into bed naked--it was much more efficient that way, she reflected as she lowered her head to him with an impish grin and took him into her mouth. For a very long time, as long as she felt they could both withstand, Dana proceeded to drive her husband completely wild until at last, she lowered herself onto him and took her pleasure, giving him his so thoroughly that he felt certain he would faint from the sheer delight of her.

When they were both exhausted, she collapsed across him, snuggling against his strong chest, and closed her eyes. Her breathing soon grew regular and slow.

Fox stared down at Dana's copper head resting against him, tugging at the scarves which still held him tightly bound to the bed. Occasionally she would leave him in this position all night, taking him thoroughly again in the morning before releasing him and bathing away the ache in his muscles with the hot bath water. If she left him tied tonight...

"Dana," he whispered, moving slightly in the hope of waking her.

"Mmmm," she muttered, snuggling more firmly against him.

"Dana, my lady, please wake up!" he begged, more forcefully this time, and she raised her head to stare at him.

"Whatever is the matter, Fox?"

"I was wondering, my lady, if you would...well...please untie me."

She smiled, her teeth gleaming in the moonlight. "And if I wish to take you again in the morning, my sweet, what then? I like having you bound, at my mercy, and I know you enjoy it as well."

"Yes, but my lady, it--it makes me so sore...I'm afraid I might not be able to please you properly."

"You have had no trouble in the past," she observed, tracing her fingernail across his full, lush lips.

"Please, Dana," he whispered, allowing his tongue to dart out and lick her fingers briefly. "I wish to put my arms around you."

"I shall put mine around you instead," she returned, slipping her arms carefully around his chest, holding him tightly to her. "Now sleep, Fox. No more talk."

"Yes, my lady," he said, hiding his quiet desperation. As soon as she was lightly snoring, he began twisting his wrists in an attempt to free them, but at last gave up in defeat; Dana possessed an excellent command of knots, and he would not be free until she released him. Closing his eyes, he began to pray again.



Walter, who had crept from his own bed when Lady Maggie dropped off, paced the salon nervously, glancing at the clock on the wall every few minutes. Fox had said midnight, and now it was fifteen past and the younger man had yet to arrive. Finally, knowing every second that ticked past brought them closer to dawn, Walter set his jaw firmly and made for the East Wing. Perhaps Fox had been unable to elude Dana.

He rapped quietly upon their chamber door, and when no answer was forthcoming, opened it carefully. His eyes widened when the candle he carried revealed poor Fox, tied securely to the four corners of the bed, Dana sprawled out atop him, sleeping soundly.

He stifled his grin of amusement at the look of pure desperation Fox shot his way.

"Where are the dice?" he whispered softly.

"In the left and right pockets of my breeches," Fox answered, barely daring to make a sound. "You must use the ones in the right pocket. Choose number ten."

Walter nodded, asking no more questions. He retrieved the dice, being careful not to mix up the two pair. Then he crept silently from the room leaving Fox trapped, agitated, and feeling as if he must certainly go insane at being left out of his own desperate plan.

Walter made his way to the Green Chamber and knocked boldly upon the door. It opened a moment later to reveal a fully dressed Lady Amanda--apparently she had been unable to find slumber either.

"Well, Walter, are you so eager for me to take you?" she asked slowly, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the beautiful man at her chamber door. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Lady Amanda," he cooed in his most charming voice, "I should like to discuss the situation with you, if it pleases you."

She shook her head. "I'm afraid there's nothing to discuss. I won your fine body and your dowry, now I am here to collect my winnings."

"Surely a man who is willing would be far more pleasant, my lady. I would like to give you the chance to win me all over again," Walter told her, and was gratified to see her eyes light up with interest.

"What did you have in mind?"

"A simple game of dice between us, my lady. Uncomplicated enough for a mere man to understand and yet as exciting as any wager. One roll of the dice to determine my fate." Walter was galled at the words he uttered, but told himself firmly that if women insisted upon thinking of men as simple dolts, men must learn to use that fact to their advantage.

"If I win, you go with me willingly? But if you win, you stay with Maggie?"

Walter nodded. "No duel at dawn. Since I am the prize in this wager, I feel it only fair that I be given a chance to play for myself, so to speak."

She stared at him thoughtfully for a moment before answering, "Very well, Walter. You do realize I am quite an experienced gamer, do you not?"

"Oh yes, my lady, you are one of the best. Perhaps I may learn from your expertise."

She grinned and gestured him into her chamber. Walter swallowed hard when the door closed behind them, but Lady Rutherford only drew a small table to the center of the room and indicated that he should take a seat before it.

"There is one other thing, my lady," he said hesitantly as she reached into her valise to withdraw her personal set of dice.

Lady Amanda paused, looking over her shoulder. "Yes, my dear Walter?"

"I should like the contract in writing before we begin."

She gazed at him for a few silent moments. The entire situation was quite ridiculous--the very idea of a gentleman coming to her chamber alone at night, and with this preposterous proposal! She was not such a fool as to believe this man had nothing up his sleeve. If he thought he could take the best of Lady Amanda Rutherford, however, he was sorely mistaken. She would allow him his folly, and when he was safely in her power she would teach him that no man ever challenged a Rutherford woman without experiencing severe regret.

"A contract it shall be," she agreed at last. Amanda quickly withdrew a piece of parchment and scrawled details of the bargain across it with a large quill, signing it with a flourish. Walter added his signature and the game was on.

"Who shall determine our number?" she asked, her mouth twitching in amusement.

Walter pretended to consider carefully. "Since my virtue is at stake, I believe I should have that right," he said at last. "After all, should you win, I shall be ruined and my lady disgraced."

Amanda smiled. "Very well. What shall it be?"

"Um...sev--no, ten. Ten has always been my lucky number."

"Ten it shall be. You will not object, of course, if I use my lucky pair of dice?"

He watched as she held out the two cubes she'd withdrawn from her valise. Could they be as full of trickery as the pair he carried in his pocket, he wondered? Fighting back a wave of panic, he nodded, and held his breath as she prepared to roll.

She took her set of dice into her fist, raised it to her mouth and murmured a quiet chant to the small cubes before rolling them across the table. Walter almost felt his heart burst within him when her score revealed itself--NINE. It was too close--if Fox was incorrect by even one number...

She smiled wolfishly at Walter, who attempted to look as if he was on the verge of fainting. "Your turn, my dear," she said brightly.

Walter withdrew the dice from his right pocket. "I presume you have no objections if I use my lady's own lucky dice?" he questioned, and Lady Amanda smiled with indulgent amusement while she shook her head. It was obvious there was cheating about to occur, she thought. A shame Walter did not realize the uselessness of the document he had signed.

Walter rattled the dice around in his hand for what seemed like forever before finally letting them fly across the tabletop, and when the number ten came up, felt his knees go weak with relief.

Lady Amanda nodded, having expected this outcome. "So, you are the winner," she commented mildly. "And yet, you are still the loser, Walter. What a pity for you that an agreement made with a mere male isn't legally binding."

"What!" he gasped, staring at her in betrayed horror. "But--you signed your name--"

"Besides," she sneered, "do you truly believe I did not realize this game was set up from the beginning? Where did you obtain the loaded dice, Walter? Do they really belong to Lady Maggie? I had not thought her capable of such clever tactics, however dishonest."

"You speak of dishonesty, and yet you willingly entered into a contract you had no intention of honoring," came a voice from behind them, and Walter almost did faint when he realized his wife was present.

Amanda swung around to face the woman in her doorway. "A contract with a male means nothing," she said with an air of dismissal. "No court in the land would uphold it. It is not binding."

"Perhaps not legally, Lady Amanda, but it is morally binding," Maggie answered. "The commandments given by our Goddess do not stipulate that lying to males is excusable. Indeed, to take advantage of a man, who has less of an understanding of such matters, must be a truly greater sin."

Amanda handed over the paper angrily, as if to prove her point. "It isn't legal, Lady Maggie, and you know it. It isn't worth the paper it's written upon."

Maggie took the precious parchment into her possession eagerly--she would not have been surprised had Amanda tried to destroy it. "It is worth a great deal more than you realize," she admonished. "For if you refuse to abide by this agreement, an agreement made in good faith with a poor man who knew no better, I shall make it known throughout the entire Queendom that you are a liar and a cheat, and hold no honor. My word, as an honest woman, is known and valued. You will soon find you are no longer able to live from your winnings, because no one in the land will wager with you!"

"He cheated!" Amanda retorted, pointing at Walter accusingly. "He was using trick dice."

"Walter, give me the dice," Maggie ordered, holding out her hand, and Walter, praying a silent plea to the Goddess that the quick switch he'd made wouldn't be discovered, handed her the dice he'd withdrawn from his left pocket. Maggie examined them carefully, then handed them to Amanda. There was no denying they were simply an ordinary pair of dice.

Amanda turned them over and over, examining them, then glared angrily at Maggie, but it was plain to see that the Scully woman meant what she said. Finally, deciding that her only option was to retreat with dignity, she said, "Very well, Lady Maggie. You have won. You will, of course, excuse me if I refuse your further hospitality. I shall take my servants and depart within the hour."

"I believe that to be advisable," Maggie agreed, and motioning to her husband, she ushered him down the corridor into their chamber.

"Walter, take a seat. It may be the last time you are able to do so for some days," she ordered in a steely voice as she tugged at the bell cord.

Mariah arrived shortly, and Maggie instructed her, "See to Lady Rutherford's departure. She will not be staying the night after all." Then she turned back to her trembling husband.

"You will tell me the entire story of this debacle from beginning to end, leaving out nothing," Maggie ordered, and Walter shivered at her tone. He avoided her gaze for a moment before sighing heavily.



Dana was awakened by a sharp rapping at her chamber door. Raising her head to stare curiously at the door--for it must be the middle of the night--she called, "Who is there?"

"It is I, Daughter," Maggie replied forcefully. "We must speak at once."

"What is it?" muttered Fox as Dana climbed off him.

"Shh, sweeting, it is only Mother." She spread the sheet over his naked body and pulled on her robe before throwing open the door. "Mother, what in the world--"

"Dana," Maggie said, striding into the room dragging Walter behind her, "it seems our husbands are simply incapable of behaving themselves for any length of time."

Dana glanced sharply at Fox, who had awakened completely by now and was staring at her with eyes widened by apprehension. She sighed lightly, knotting the sash of her robe at her waist, and turned back to Maggie.

"What have they done now?"

Maggie quickly related the story Walter had told her, and as she spoke Dana's face grew red with shock and outrage. She whirled back to Fox, who looked as if he would like to sink into the bed and disappear. Carefully, she took two steps toward him before Maggie's voice stopped her.

"Remember your own words of wisdom, Daughter," Maggie cautioned. "Take care in the heat of the moment."

"You are quite right, Mother," Dana agreed at last, surveying her helpless prey with her arms crossed over her chest. "I believe we should discuss it in the morning. Has Lady Rutherford departed?"

"She is safely off Scully land by now."

"Good. Now that bit of unpleasantness is behind us, we can decide what to do with men who so foolishly endanger themselves, and who stupidly take it upon themselves to actually try and protect women."

"We shall do so indeed, but over breakfast. Right now, we all require sleep. Walter, come along."

So saying, Maggie turned and strode down the corridor toward her own wing. Walter, after a guilty look at Fox, and seeing the dangerous expression on his step-daughter's face, followed immediately.

"So," Dana said thoughtfully, approaching her husband with slow, measured steps. "Let us consider your crimes, shall we, sweeting?"

"My-my lady, I-"

"You lied to me," she interrupted, holding up one finger. "You said you were taking Walter upstairs to rest when you had every intention of putting this ridiculous, dangerous plan into motion." Another finger joined the first as she went on, "You left the house without permission, under cover of darkness and without an escort."

He bit his lip nervously as she continued.

"You went into the village alone, when you knew that the commonest of the population would be out and about, and that a beautiful man such as yourself would be simply too tempting for them to resist." Three fingers were now raised, and a fourth flew up. "You went, of all places, to a gaming saloon, where beautiful men are the stakes wagered on a regular basis, with no one to protect you should you come to harm." Now Dana added her thumb, leaving her hand opened wide, finishing, "You encouraged Walter to visit Lady Rutherford alone, a scandal in itself, and gave him the means to cheat at a game of chance, which you had obtained through your illicit visit to the tavern." She stared at her open palm, itching to punish her disobedient husband's backside, and Fox winced.

"I--may I at least--" He stopped, uncertain how to begin to explain to his wife why the plan had seemed logical and a good idea at the time.

Dana waited for a moment, curious as to what explanation he might concoct, but when he gave up, she sat next to him on the bed and began untying the scarves that held him.

"My lady?" he asked in confusion.

"You will rest tonight, Fox," she commanded, removing her robe and slipping into bed next to him. She snuffed the candle and pulled him into her arms, holding him tightly, for the very thought of what might have happened to him in the village chilled her blood. "I shall deal with you tomorrow."

Fox lay in her embrace, staring up at the ceiling in the darkness, and wondered how much of the nausea he was feeling was due to nervousness, and how much due to the strange illness that seemed to have struck him recently.

It was hours before he slept.



When Dana met her mother for breakfast, both women showed signs of a restless night.

"I don't believe I slept an hour," Dana confided, sipping at the strong coffee she had ordered served. "The very thought of what might have befallen Fox--or Walter, going to that woman's chamber alone..." She shuddered.

Maggie nodded sympathetically. "I know," she agreed. "Walter was so concerned about the coming punishment that he tossed and turned all night. Poor dear, it is simply one thing after another with him, it seems."

"Well, Mother, if it is any consolation, during that long and sleepless night I believe I was able to devise the perfect plan for disciplining our wayward men."

Maggie raised an eyebrow and waited.

"I believe," Dana said with a wicked grin, "that their fate should depend upon a roll of the dice."

"Pardon me?" Maggie asked, startled at the statement, but as Dana quickly outlined her plan, Maggie's smile grew until it matched that of her mischievous daughter, both in size and wickedness.

"I do believe we should feed the darlings their breakfast and get started right away," she said, and Dana nodded agreement. Both women rose from the table and headed eagerly upstairs.

"Dana, can't I please get up now?" Fox begged when she entered the room. He had been kneeling before the fireplace where she'd left him, his hands resting upon his head, completely naked, and he was both tired and humiliated. At least, he thought thankfully, Alex would not arrive to clean the chamber before he was summoned.

"Oh yes, Fox, you may get up. In fact, I wish you to bathe and dress immediately. Then you will eat breakfast, and we will proceed with your punishment."

Dana rang for a tray for Fox, and while he bathed in the still-warm water in the tub, Dana pulled out the clothing she intended him to wear. He tried to hide his grimace of disgust when a pair of extremely tight breeches landed on the bed, soon joined by the most revealing shirt he possessed. She lay the hated high-heeled boots beside the clothing and waited for him to complete his bath. Fox washed himself hastily, knowing that to keep her waiting would only increase her anger, and soon he stood before her, still naked, while she patted his skin with the drying towel.

"Now, you will get dressed," she ordered, and holding back his objections, Fox quickly donned the clothing she'd chosen. His meal arrived, and he choked down as much as he could before pushing back from the table to indicate he was finished.

"Come with me," Dana said then, and left the chamber without a backward glance. He followed, wondering to what doom she was leading him, but realizing there was no escape.

They joined Maggie and Walter in the salon of the West Wing, and Fox saw that Walter was dressed equally uncomfortably, and was standing in a corner looking miserable.

"Fox, that corner is for you," Dana instructed, pointing to the opposite wall, and he obeyed without protest, watching in surprise as Maggie and Dana took their seats at the small table and produced a deck of cards.

"High card wins?" Dana asked, shuffling the deck, and Maggie nodded. "Perhaps we should explain the rules to the boys, Mother. They are as yet unacquainted with this sort of gaming."

"Quite so. Gentlemen, pay attention." Fox and Walter both turned to her, eyes wide, and waited while she smiled at them.

"Since you both wished to wager your future on a game of chance, Dana and I have decided that your punishment should fittingly rest on the same. She and I will each draw a card in turn, and whoever has the highest card will order her husband to remove an article of his clothing. When you are both quite deliciously naked, we will proceed."

Fox blushed furiously, glancing at the door to the salon, and felt weak-kneed with relief when he realized his wife had bolted it behind her. At least no servants would be witness to this humiliation.

He and Walter stared at the ladies as they each reached into the deck and drew a card.

"Four," Dana revealed, holding hers aloft for everyone to see.

"Seven," Maggie answered. "Walter, remove your left boot."

He stood, unbelieving for a moment, before slowly bending over and pulling the boot from his foot while bracing himself against the wall. When he had set it aside, and was once again standing erect, the ladies drew again.

"Walter, your right boot."

He obeyed.

On the next draw Dana was the winner, and she turned to Fox with a delighted smile. "Remove your shirt, Fox."

"My shirt!" he objected. "But my lady, Walter had only to remove a boot!"

She rose, giving him a threatening glare, and he immediately pulled the shirt over his head and dropped it to the floor. In truth, he thought bitterly, there was not much more of him revealed now than before, the shirt was that immodest.

Walter's shirt was the next to go, and then his breeches, and soon he stood in the corner wearing only his undergarment, his entire body red with embarrassment.

"Fox, left boot."

"Fox, right boot."

"Walter, your undergarment, please."

"Fox, your breeches."

At last, both men were naked, their eyes averted from one another, and Fox breathed a sigh of relief, for surely it was over now, and the ladies would allow them to dress.

Instead, Maggie rose and picked up a small case she'd hidden behind a sofa, placing it on the table. Fox heard Walter's gasp, but did not understand the reason for it until the contents of the case were revealed.

Several vicious-looking implements of discipline were contained in the case, and Maggie took them all and lay them carefully on the sofa. Then she crooked her finger at Walter, who reluctantly approached.

"Bend over this chair here," she instructed, pushing him down so that his head rested comfortably on the cushion, his bare backside within easy reach. "Fox, that chair is for you."

At a look from Dana, Fox took his place over the corresponding chair. Both men, if they raised their heads, had a splendid view of the sofa which held a strap, a cane, a grooved paddle, and a feather. Fox swallowed hard, wondering what nasty surprise Dana had in store for them now, for it was obvious that a simple, straightforward spanking was not to be.

"Our next game of chance involves your favorite gambling implement, the dice," Dana announced brightly, reaching for the pair Maggie had placed in the center of the small table.

"First, I shall roll one die. If I get a one, you will be punished with the paddle. A two is for the strap. A three means the cane, and a four means the feather. A five will earn you punishment with the bare hand."

"My lady--what does a six mean?" Fox asked, attempting to hide the quaver in his voice, and she smiled broadly.

"Six is your lucky number," she said blandly.

"Then," Maggie continued, "we will roll both dice at once, and the number rolled determines how many strokes you will receive with the chosen implement. Isn't this fun, boys?"

Neither man deigned to answer her, and she did not seem to expect a response. "Dana, you go first. After all, the entire plan was hatched by Fox, so he deserves the place of honor."

"Absolutely, Mother," Dana agreed, shaking a single die in her hand and letting it roll across the table.

Fox watched it fearfully, praying for a six, but instead she rolled a three. The cane! First thing, he must endure that vicious cane! He begged the Goddess to allow her next roll to be low, and to his gratitude, she came up with a three.

"Three strokes with the cane," she said, grabbing it up and coming around behind him. "I expect any man who is brave enough to venture alone at night into a rough tavern in the village to be brave enough to endure almost any punishment," she warned before the first stroke fell upon his unprotected flesh.

Fox screeched into the chair cushion, clutching at the fabric wildly, and held on for dear life while she delivered the strokes. He sniffed back a few tears that stung his eyelids, glad of the short reprieve, and watched while Dana returned the cane to its place.

"Our turn, Walter dear," said Maggie gaily, catching up a die, and had to bite back her laughter at his expression when she rolled a four.

"I'd really rather have the cane," he muttered weakly, but she took her second roll with pleasure.

"Now, Walter, we mustn't cheat, as you did with Lady Rutherford. Going to her chamber alone, a libertine like that, to try and trick her with loaded dice! Why, she might have taken all manner of liberties with you, had I not arrived in the nick of time," she scolded, winking at him when she produced a seven.

"How will you do strokes with the feather, Mother?" Dana asked curiously, and Maggie told her to just watch.

She stood behind her trembling husband, bent over, and started at his ankles, drawing the feather slowly up one leg, across one smooth buttock, up his back, across his shoulders, and down the other side until at last she reached his opposite ankle. Walter, who had bit his lip hard and clenched his eyes shut against the tender agony, made a strangled sound when she began her second journey with the feather. By the time she had finished the seventh pass over his body he was writhing, pleading with her for her mercy, and completely undone. Maggie set the feather aside with satisfaction and motioned for her daughter to take a turn.

They played the game for over an hour, both men experiencing every implement of discipline at least once, and by the time they considered their men suitably punished, Walter and Fox were exhausted and thoroughly chastened. Both were sporting very red backsides as well, and Maggie informed them both that they were to remain in their chambers for the rest of the day.

Getting back into his chamber without being seen by the servants was easy for Walter, for it was only two doors down the corridor, but Fox practically ran through the house to get to his room before he could be spotted. Dana followed more slowly, carrying the clothing he had discarded earlier, and waved gaily to her mother as she departed.

When she entered their bedchamber, she was surprised to see Fox on his knees just inside the door, his face quite green.

"I--my lady, I am not well," he said inadequately, just before losing his breakfast all over the expensive Aubusson carpet.

"Oh dear," Dana said, opening the door and calling to the servant she'd just passed in the corridor. "Mariah, send Alex up with cleaning supplies. Lord Fox is ill."

"Come now, sweeting, let me help you into bed. I did not realize my creative method of discipline had sickened you."

"It wasn't...it wasn't that, my lady," he told her weakly as she pulled him into her arms, holding the mug of water Mariah brought to his lips. "I've been feeling ill for several days. I must have caught a sickness."

"And why did you not tell me you were unwell?" she demanded, settling him gently in the bed and covering his nakedness with the sheet.

"It did not seem important, compared to what Walter was faced with."

She shook her head in exasperation, but said nothing. It was so like kind-hearted Fox to forget his own woes in the face of another's trouble.

Maggie arrived a few moments later, having been summoned by the ruckus, and her daughter explained what had happened.

"Fox believes he has caught a sickness," Dana commented, glancing up at her mother knowingly.

"Indeed, perhaps it is that," Maggie agreed. "We shall find out soon enough."

Fox lay abed while the women bustled around him and Alex arrived to grudgingly clean the carpet. He shut his eyes, curling up into a ball, and wondered why he didn't feel any better after emptying his stomach. He always had before.

"Alex, send Aja with some broth for Lord Fox," Dana ordered carelessly when he had finished and turned to go. "Oh, and Alex?"

"Yes, my lady?"

"No more sleeping in the attic for you."

She did not see the look of pure venom he shot her, so intent was she upon Fox, but it was not lost upon Maggie. Lady Maggie followed the servant into the corridor, grabbing him by the ear and jerking him around to face her.

"I suggest you do not anger my daughter further, Alex," she advised grimly. "She will not be inclined to be lenient with you a second time."

Alex stared at the woman before him in shock. Lenient? It had been the most horrible punishment he'd ever had the misfortune to endure, he almost retorted, but instead, he wisely bit back his words with a muttered, "Yes, my lady," and fled for the kitchen.

Fox had barely begun to sip the broth Aja brought when he bolted to the chamber pot, vomiting it up violently.

"What is wrong with me?" he moaned, leaning his head wearily against the side of the bed while Dana bathed his forehead with cool water.

"Well," she confided, "I am not yet certain, but I believe there is a good chance we are with child."

"We?"

She nodded, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"But Dana, women are the ones who have babies--why would *I* be sick?"

She furrowed her brow thoughtfully--it had not occurred to her that Fox would be so completely uninformed in the ways of childbearing.

"Do you not know of the mystical bond that is formed between a woman and a man when they are to have a child?" she asked, and sighed when he shook his head in confusion. She helped him climb back into bed, then sat gently beside him, stroking through his hair with soothing fingers.

"Women are the ones who actually carry the children, because we are the stronger sex," she explained. "It takes a woman to endure the inconvenience of having her body grow large and unwieldy during pregnancy. However..." She bit her lip, unsure how to explain to him the uncomfortable role men were required to play in childbearing. "The father of the child is sometimes ill for the first few months of the pregnancy."

He stared up at her in disbelief. "Months? *Months*? I'm going to feel this way for *months*?" he demanded.

"There is no way to predict exactly how long it will last, Fox, and every babe is different. It could be that the worst is behind you already."

Fox considered his still unsettled stomach and covered his face with his hands. "Sweet Goddess!" he whispered. "I cannot bear it!"

"You can, and you will," Dana assured him, "just as other fathers-to-be." She smiled. "If it is any consolation, I will be the one suffering pain when the actual delivery of the child occurs. Again, it is something men are too weak to endure, so our Goddess has given the job to women."

"Dana?"

"Yes, sweeting?"

"I do not wish to have a child."

She laughed at his plaintive words. "Whether you wish it or not, I believe we are to be blessed with either a daughter or a son in a very few months."

"Perhaps I shall make certain this is the only child we have."

She smiled with amused indulgence. "And how will you do that?"

"Perhaps I shall withdraw from you before I spill my seed in the future," he said sleepily, closing his eyes, enjoying the comfort of her stroking fingers in his hair.

She laughed again. "I am afraid you could no more do that than I could stop taking my pleasure of you," she informed him. "It is in the nature of men and women to create children. And just think, Fox, I will have daughters to carry on my name, and you will have sons to teach all the manly arts to. We shall be often blessed with children, I know it is true."

"How often?"

"Oh...perhaps once a year. Perhaps once every two years."

He groaned again, and she laughed tenderly. "Sleep now, my sweet Fox. When you awaken, I shall know for certain if we are to have a child."



Exhausted from his near sleepless night, his punishment and his illness, he slept straight through until the next day, and when he awakened she greeted him with a smile as sunny as the morning. Fox, who felt as if he had been trapped on a runaway carriage for several days, frowned sourly at her before accepting the tiny sips of broth she forced upon him.

"Mother has examined me, and it was as I suspected," she told him joyfully. "I am with child."

He nodded, his head falling weakly to the pillow. "When?" he whispered.

"She will be born in early spring."

Even through his illness, Fox was irritated at her words, and raised one eyebrow questioningly. "She? What if we are to have a son, my lady?"

Dana shook her head, refusing to allow his mood to spoil her joy. "That is with the Goddess, true," she conceded. "I suppose it is possible our first child could be a boy. In that case, we shall simply have to try again for a daughter right away."

He grimaced. "No, no, I'm certain my lady is correct. It is a daughter you carry. We shall not need to have another child for years--perhaps never, in fact."

She brushed the damp hair back from his forehead tenderly. "I must go down to breakfast, if you can spare my company," she told him. "Alex will be available, should you require assistance, and I have a light schedule of patients to see this morning. I will be home shortly after luncheon, unless an emergency arises."

He made another face. "My lady..." It was as if he wanted to speak, but was reluctant to do so.

"What is it, sweeting?" she asked softly. "Are you sickening again?"

He shook his head briefly. "No, but Dana...Alex..." Fox bit his lip, unable to voice his concern, because truly Dana did not know of all the trouble between her husband and the upstart maid.

"I know you dislike him, Fox, but attending to your needs is part of his duties. If he is insolent to you, inform me and he will be punished."

"No! I mean, no, my lady, I'm certain he will not act rudely again, it's just...I was wondering..."

"Do not be afraid to speak to me, Fox."

He gazed up at her from beneath his long eyelashes, mustering as much of a smile as he possibly could. "I meant to ask you...but of course, I have no right to request favors from my lady, not after my recent behavior. Indeed, I deserve much punishment, and my lady is most generous--"

"Fox, do you think me idiotic?"

He was taken aback at her words. "No, my lady, of course not!"

"Then why, pray tell, are you speaking to me as if I had no more intelligence than a silly school boy?"

His mouth dropped open, then closed again without forming a word.

"Masculine wiles do not become you, Fox--at least not those which you do not employ on a regular basis. By the Goddess, I believe if I let you go on, you would be batting your eyelashes at me within minutes."

Fox, who had considered doing that very thing, had the good grace to blush.

"If you desire something of me, by all means, ask it. I will either grant your request or refuse it, but do us both the credit of not playing the part of a feather-headed ingenue. It does not suit you."

"I am sorry, my lady," he said sincerely, looking up into her deep blue eyes. "I should not have acted in such a manner."

She smiled. "Quite so. Now, tell me what it is you are so reluctant to ask."

He sighed, plucking nervously at the sheets with his fingers. "You know that I dislike Alex, and he returns the feeling with enthusiasm. If it please my lady, I would like to take the boy, Aja, and train him to be my personal maid."

She said nothing, only looked thoughtful, and he continued in a rush, "I have given the matter much consideration--he could sleep in the small chamber at the end of the corridor, it isn't in use, and is too tiny for guests, and that would place him nearby in case I needed him, and it makes sense, especially now that I am so ill--"

"And Aja is young enough to still be a virgin, and this would remove him from the reach of the servants and place him under your protection," she finished for him, and he stared at her, open-mouthed. She laughed aloud at his expression.

"Did you believe I did not discern your true motive, Fox Scully?" she asked, amused, and he smiled with good grace.

"I should learn that my lady knows all that is in my mind," he allowed at last. "The boy is young, innocent, and has no mother or older sisters to protect him. I should hate to see him end up..."

She took his chin between her fingers and studied his face carefully, seeing only clear honesty in his eyes, before giving him an indulgent smile. "Very well, Fox, if it would please you, you may take Aja as your personal maid. However, Natalie has him working in the kitchen this week while her assistant is visiting his ailing mother, so for now, I'm afraid you will still be forced to deal with Alex."

His beaming face lit up the room. "Thank you, my lady, thank you!" He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it fervently, and she smoothed back his hair one last time.

"I must go, then," she said briskly, rising to her feet. "But remember, my husband, no matter how you dislike him, Alex is here to serve you. If you require his assistance, you will ring for him, do you understand?"

He nodded. "Yes, Dana."

"I shall send Walter to check on you after breakfast."

"Yes, my lady."



"Fox, what on earth--?" Dana stared about her, at the chamber that was still in disarray, wrinkled her nose at the ghastly smell, and strode over to throw open a window forcefully. "Where is Alex?"

"I--never rang for him, my lady," he told her in a low voice, pulling himself to a sitting position on the bed.

She gaped at him in disbelief for a moment before giving the bell cord a sharp tug.

"Please, Dana, that's not necessary," he said, scrambling to stand up before grabbing at the bedside table for balance. "I'm quite well, I can straighten the room myself."

Dana simply stared. "Fox, have you gone quite mad?" she demanded. "Firstly, you are not well, you are barely able to stand upon your own feet. Secondly, it is not your responsibility to clean our chamber, and if you are feeling so much better, I have other activities I would involve you in."

He blushed at her wicked innuendo, sinking to a chair when Alex entered the chamber.

"Clean this room immediately," Dana ordered. "The bed wants changing as well. When you are finished, report to me in the downstairs salon. I wish to reassess your employment contract."

"Y-yes, my lady," Alex stammered, eyes wide, and began to fly about the room immediately, setting it to rights.

Dana left the chamber, and Fox buried his face in his hands as Alex went about his duties, restoring the room to its former pristine state. When the movements became quiet, Fox risked a glance up and gasped in horror. The maid was standing before Dana's dresser, going through her jewelry chest.

"Alex, have you taken leave of your senses? Leave those things alone!" Fox commanded, and Alex turned to him with an insolent smile. Fox watched as the maid slipped a golden neck band into the pocket of his breeches.

"Put that back!" he ordered in a fiercely low voice, but Alex only strolled to the door of the chamber.

"If I am to be released from my contract, I shall not go empty-handed," he informed Fox. "And if you say anything to anyone..." He left the threat hanging, but Fox knew, and fumed helplessly as the maid disappeared down the corridor.



"Alex, your behavior and performance have been completely unsatisfactory," Dana said briskly when the maid entered the salon.

Alex stared at the floor, the picture of abject penitence.

"You are rude, disobedient, disrespectful, and you have neglected your duties. Is there anything you would like to offer in your own defense before I tear up your contract and send you on your way?"

His eyes shimmered with tears when he raised them to her face, and his voice contained just the right amount of pleading.

"My lady, I beg of you, please give me another chance to prove my loyalty to you. I swear to you, I shall not disappoint you again."

She rose and walked around him, looking him up and down critically. "Why should I do so?" she demanded at last.

His shoulders slumped and he appeared ready to cry. "My lady, when I first came to you for employment...I lied to you."

"Lied?"

He nodded shamefully. "I--I said I was an upstairs maid, but in truth, I have never...you see my lady, I needed employment so badly, and I had already spoken to Melvin...he said it was the only position available..."

"I see," she said at last. "And what kind of work are you able to competently do, Alex?"

"I warmed my last lady's bed."

"You shall not be warming mine."

He nodded. "You will dissolve our contract, then?" he asked softly.

Dana leaned against the door, looking him up and down slowly again. He blushed beneath her scrutiny, but did not flinch.

"Perhaps not," she replied at length. "Tell me, Alex, are you able to make yourself useful in the kitchen?" Then, pretending to reconsider, she mused, "No, that would never do. You would poison us all."

He said nothing.

"How badly do you wish to remain in my employ?"

"Oh, my lady, I would do anything you require!" he answered fervently. "I do not know what I shall do if you release me from my contract without a reference. Please give me a chance to prove my loyalty to you."

"Very well. Come with me, Alex. From now on, you will be working with the livestock."

"The-the stables, my lady?" he clarified as he trotted after her.

"No, you shall go nowhere near my prize horses, Alex. You will be working under the direct supervision of Gena, mucking out the pens where the pigs and sheep reside."

She ignored his expression of horrified disbelief, stalking toward the barns, hauling the shocked man behind her. Before Alex knew what had happened he was handed a shovel by Gena, a woman large enough to easily challenge Roberta in a wrestling match, with a wicked sense of humor and a ready crop if he slowed in his work, and instructed to clean all the pigpens before suppertime.



"So, Aja, do you think you will be able to handle the duties of my personal maid?" Fox asked seriously, putting his hands on the boy's shoulders and looking him in the eye. Aja glanced around the bedchamber, thinking of all the things Lord Fox had told him the position involved, then nodded soberly.

"Yes, my lord, I know I can do it."

Fox smiled widely. "Excellent," he said. "Go and fetch your things. You will be sleeping in a chamber down the corridor from me."

Aja looked stunned. "You mean--I am no longer to live in the servants' quarters?"

"Oh no, Aja, I need you near me at all times, especially now, when I am not feeling well."

"Yes, Lord Fox!" Aja agreed eagerly. "I shall return at once!"

The boy scampered down the stairs quickly, racing for the shed where he slept with the other male servants, gathering up his meager belongings with haste. He wrapped everything in a thin shirt and left the shed, his eyes intent upon the back door of the manor house, when he heard a voice call from the nearby trees.

"Boy! Come over here!"

Aja looked around warily, but upon seeing the friendly face that peered at him from behind a shrub, he approached without fear.

"Yes?" he asked, examining the man, who was dirty and tired, and looked as if he hadn't had a full meal in days.

"What is your name?"

"Aja."

"Well, Aja, I need you to deliver a message to your lord for me."

Aja cocked his head curiously. "Which lord, Sir? There are two here at Scully manor."

"Lord Fox. I need you to bring him to me."

"And why would you be needing Lord Fox, may I ask, Sir?"

The man shifted impatiently from one foot to another. "Please, Aja, just tell him to come to me. Tell him it's urgent that I speak to him."

Aja nodded in understanding--Lord Fox was one for odd associates, all upon the estate knew that. "What name may I give him?" he asked, preparing to leave, for he had told Lord Fox he would return quickly.

The man's eyes flickered toward the house--would Fox remember him? Softly he answered the boy.

"Isaac. Isaac Tremont."

End chapter 10